The so-called Tesoretto di Montecassino is an excellent example of how it is not true that the Middle Ages was only a dark period in which art and beauty were lost, in favor of dogmatism and a certain primitivism. This treasure, in every sense, displayed in the wonderful setting of the Museum of the Early Middle Ages in Rome, in the Eur area, is a testament to the mastery and excellent craftsmanship that men and women could achieve, particularly around the 12th century. So, follow your local tour guide in Rome to discover something truly exceptional. 

Let's start by saying that the so-called Tesoretto di Montecassino consists of a wonderful gilded fibula (the fibula was a clothing element used to fasten cloaks or garments of various kinds) and as many as 29 gold coins. All of it, in fact, can be dated to around the 12th century. Let's start with the fibula, the centerpiece of this collection. It is a unique piece composed of a disc-shaped plate adorned with stones of oval, drop, or cabochon shape. The latter term refers to the cut of a stone whose purpose is to create an object without facets, very often with a flat base and a concave top. This is what we see on the outer part, while in the intermediate segment a total of 8 gems stand out. Four are green while the others are in the shape of a cross with a small rosette in the center. The entire segment is made in filigree, which involves the creation of a real interweaving of tiny gold threads, so as to create a sort of mesh. In the inner and central space, the space stands out where a wonderful stone was supposed to be set, now lost. This fibula, therefore, attests to the high level of goldsmithing of the time, referring in particular to the Norman period. The Normans, after all, also arrived in Rome, or at least managed to sack it under Robert Guiscard. For this reason, the coins are also important.

The 29 gold pieces, in fact, were issued by the mints of Palermo and Messina, produced during the reigns of the most important Norman lords and kings of the time, from Roger I to William II. Consequently, by visiting the rooms of the Museum of the Early Middle Ages in Eur, here in Rome, you can get a glimpse into a very turbulent period in the history of the Italian peninsula and for the Eternal City in particular, caught in the grip of various powers that saw in the papacy an excellent opportunity to increase their own power. But, on the other hand, the coins and the fibula attest to the extraordinary wealth of courts that would have nothing to envy of those that were established later, such as during the Renaissance, in Rome and beyond. It is worth visiting this museum and taking a look at this remarkable little treasure (found in the Cassino area in 1898). You will be amazed…